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Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S6W-11003

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 30 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the reported £37.6 million reduction to concessionary travel will have on the concessionary travel review, which was considering extending free bus travel and discounted travel on other modes of transport for those under the age of 26.

As part of our management of funding for bus services, the Scottish Government continually monitors forecasted spend against budget. As a result of the demand led nature of the concessionary travel schemes, we have reduced our forecast for remainder of this financial year due to lower than expected patronage. However, if patronage were now to rise above the forecasted levels, so would our expenditure on the schemes.

The Under 26 Concessionary Fares Review is a separate matter. Scottish Government has carried out analysis on a range of options including the cost of extending free bus travel and on concessionary travel across all modes of public transport to those under the age of 26. This included cost and benefit analysis. The review has concluded and is published on the Transport Scotland website at Under 26 Concessionary Fares Review | Transport Scotland

Question reference: S6W-11051

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 30 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how much Ferguson Marine is expected to pay for the ship towing contract that was published on 15 September 2022.

Question reference: S6O-01439

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 September 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 6 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to revive the bus industry following a slump in passenger numbers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Question reference: S6W-10653

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 29 August 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 27 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of ScotRail passenger journeys have been made with (a) an ordinary fare and (b) a season ticket since January 2022, broken down by month.

Question reference: S6W-10655

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 29 August 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 23 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of ScotRail’s rail passenger revenue from 1 January to 31 July 2022.

Prior to the 1st April 2022, ScotRail services were operated by Abellio ScotRail. Under the terms of the franchise agreement, revenue figures for the period are commercially confidential. The published accounts for Abellio ScotRail for this period will be found at Companies House in due course.

For the period after 1st April, relevant revenue figures will not be available until the annual accounts for ScotRail Trains Ltd. have been audited, verified and published after the end of the financial year 2022-23.

Question reference: S6W-10968

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 23 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when the Minister for Transport will next meet representatives from Glasgow Airport to discuss any challenges facing Scotland's aviation industry.

Question reference: S6W-10967

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 23 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when the Minister for Transport last visited Glasgow Airport.

Question reference: S6W-10654

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 29 August 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 20 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many passenger journeys were made on ScotRail trains from January to July 2022, broken down by month.

Question reference: S6W-09822

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 July 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 5 August 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what the cost of the recent pay agreement with train drivers is, which budgets the money will come from and whether any other budgets will have to be cut in order to finance the settlement.

Question reference: S6W-09580

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 04 July 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 29 July 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions Transport Scotland has had with ScotRail about procuring battery trains to run on Scotland’s rail network.

Abellio ScotRail (at the time), Network Rail and Transport Scotland were all involved in the development work leading to the publication of the Decarbonisation Action Plan ( Rail Services Decarbonisation Action Plan | Transport Scotland ) in July 2020. Battery trains, supported by partial electrification of routes were set out as an option alongside other forms of rail traction.

Transport Scotland and (now) ScotRail Trains Limited are regularly engaged in discussions over planning for the procurement of new zero emission rolling stock.

Month	Ordinary Fare (%)	Season ticket (%)
January	88.7	11.3
February	87.5	12.5
March	87.3	12.7
April	90.4	9.6
May	90.6	9.4
June	89	11
July	89.6	10.4
August	90.8	9.2

Month	Passenger Journeys
January	3,333,231
February	4,181,588
March	5,279,142
April	5,140,954
May	5,157,588
June	4,209,012
July	5,081,336